Smile
by finnstardust
Summary: Elizabeth needs to smile more. Episode tag for Inferno.


There was a very flirty Sparky scene in Inferno that really needed a fic in my opinion - this was written as a birthday present to a friend. Might be a bit hysterical as it was created in the small hours of the morning...Spoilers for Inferno.

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Playful isn't a word John Sheppard would normally associate with Elizabeth Weir.

During the nearly two years he's known her, she has rarely allowed the more relaxed side of her personality to emerge from underneath the professional façade of the expedition leader. He's not sure whether she keeps the façade up because she thinks it's expected of her at all times or whether she is just a serious person by nature – either way, he has promised himself to find out one day. He fondly remembers the rare times he's seen her smile, and the even rarer occasions she's allowed a burst of laughter to emerge. And even when a smile does light up her face, it's usually gone just as fast, leaving him aching for more.

When he returns to Atlantis from Taranis, his team having barely escaped with their lives once again after the inferno's eruption, Elizabeth is even more serious than normal, calling everyone into a briefing immediately. The Wraith situation grows more distressing every day and John sees the worry on her face, on Caldwell's face, on everyone's faces. At regular intervals somebody in the control room turns to look at the long-range sensors portraying the approaching hive ships. He knows that not a moment goes by when Elizabeth isn't trying to come up with a solution which would enable them to make their way out of this imminent thread, and not just wait for the miracle that has saved them from all the previous situations thus far.

The briefing ends and people file out of the room, Teyla and Ronon to another medical check in the infirmary with Carson, Caldwell to the Daedalus, Rodney and Zelenka to the control room to try and find a weakness in the hive ships' impenetrable defences. John stays behind; watching as Elizabeth almost flops down into her chair and pushes her hair back, looking exhausted. It hurts him to see her like this, her strength waning and her resolve crumbling. It once more drives home to him how much they have come to depend on their fearless leader.

"Are you all right?" He moves closer and perches himself on the corner of her desk, where he seems to have spent a lot of time lately and that amazes him more than anything - how comfortable they can be around each other and how he can talk to her like to a friend. That was something he could never have expected in the beginning of this journey.

"Yeah", Elizabeth sighs, looking around for her PDA and wearily reaching to grab it from the opposite side of the desk. He's faster, however, handing the object to her and brushing her fingers in the process. The touch sends a familiar jolt through his body and from the flash of emotion in her eyes he knows she feels it too before she quickly withdraws her hand and leans back in her chair.

"So", he licks his lips briefly. "Do you think Rodney will see Norena again?"

Elizabeth glances up, an amused expression on her face. "Do I sense some jealousy here?"

"No." John is quick in his answer, too quick and she sees right through it.

"So you're not in any way…. ticked off that she preferred Rodney over you?"

He frowns. "Why would I be?"

A flash of a smile graces Elizabeth's lips but, again, it's gone too fast. "Well, from what I've heard of your previous off-world adventures, you haven't had much experience at being the second best."

John suddenly remembers the completely different Elizabeth he saw a glimpse of in her office earlier, the playful, teasing woman that caught him completely off guard. For a few short seconds she had let herself go before snapping back to business mode and collecting her gear to fly back to Taranis with him. In the past, he hasn't taken well to being teased like that but there's just something about this woman that makes him forget everything when she's in the same room.

"I don't mind." He crosses his arms across his chest. "I'm happy for Rodney."

"Right." Elizabeth has turned on her laptop and is typing something, her long, slim fingers moving fast on the keyboard. "I believe the exact word you used was…pathetic?"

"I didn't say that." Elizabeth lifts her head and quirks her eyebrow teasingly. "Did I?"

She hums something and turns her attention back to the screen. John can feel himself pouting, trying to come up with a suitable defence for his behaviour.

"You said he was smitten."

"Hmm?" She frowns at the screen.

"Rodney. You said he was smitten."

"So I did. And I was right."

John opens his mouth to say something and then closes it again; there aren't many people who leave him speechless but Elizabeth Weir is one of them. "Can we change the subject?"

Elizabeth smirks. "So you _are_ ticked off at being the second best?"

"I didn't say that. And you fancied Laikos!"

Her eyes grow huge and surprise is evident on her face before she lets out a very un-ladylike snort and bursts into hysterical laughter, leaning back in her chair. "I what?"

For a moment he can only stare at the amazing vision that is Elizabeth laughing and is fascinated by how much younger and more relaxed she instantly looks, her entire body shaking as she tries to control the giggles. John has to bite his own lip to keep from smiling.

"Come on! You asked what he was like in that tone that was all…suggestive and curious and…"

Elizabeth wipes her eyes and succumbs into another laughing fit; placing her hands on her ribcage like she's in pain, probably unused to such exercise after a long, long break. John glances into the control room where curious faces are starting to turn into the direction of her office, without a doubt eager to see their leader lose control completely. Which is exactly what she's doing at the moment, almost doubling over in her chair and his eyes widen with worry she's lost the plot for good.

"Uh…Elizabeth?" He turns his body so it covers most of her from the prying eyes in the control room and fishes a tissue out of his pocket, handing it to her. "What did I say that was so funny?"

She takes the tissue and presses in onto her eyes, her laughter slowly quietening down but her body still shaking slightly as she wipes her damp cheeks to get rid of the streaks of make-up.

"John, I…" She shakes her head and he can see she's working really hard to keep herself in check. "I really didn't fancy him."

He's not ready to give up just yet. "No? You took him to the balcony."

She bites her lip so hard she almost draws blood. "Actually he came there uninvited."

"It's our balcony." John knows he's pouting ridiculously now but he doesn't even care. Elizabeth blinks.

"I didn't know it was…restricted." She pulls open one of the drawers of her desk and produces a mirror, cleaning up her face.

"Well, nobody else goes there except for you and me." He takes another look at the control room; people seem to have returned to their work.

"Right." Elizabeth clears her throat. "I'll keep that in mind from now on. But I still didn't fancy Laikos, just for your information."

John scratches his head. "All right then. Although I'm still not convinced."

She gets up from her chair, collecting her PDA and laptop. "Well, at least not as much as you fancied Norena… Which is why you didn't like it that Rodney beat you to it."

John rolls his eyes. "How many times do I have to say…"?

Elizabeth heads for the door. "John, your record with women while you've been living in the Pegasus Galaxy speaks for itself."

He chuckles. "Who's jealous now?"

She turns back, eyes flashing green fire at him. "I'm merely pointing out the fact."

"Sure." He gets up from the desk, smirking at her and she lets out an exasperated sigh. "John…"

"You know, you should smile more, Elizabeth. Laugh more."

To his surprise he sees his words making her blush and she looks down to her feet.

"Not that much to smile about at the moment."

"Hey." John's tone makes her look back up and then he lifts his hand and gently pushes a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "We'll survive this. We have survived everything and together we will beat this one too."

She swallows and her eyes follow his hand as he drops it back to his side. "I hope so, John. I really hope so."

"And if we do, will you smile more?"

She looks at him for a long moment before her face breaks into the most gorgeous, heartbreakingly beautiful smile he has ever seen.

"I make no promises but I can try."

He nods. "That's all I wanted to hear."

Elizabeth nods back and steps out of her office onto the bridge and he watches her walk away, suddenly feeling like all the impending danger doesn't seem half as bad. In fact, right now he feels empowered enough to fight off the Wraith his bare hands, if that means he can see her smile again.

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